GUTTA-PERCHA. 31 



may also be worth while to ascertain whether the appoint- 

 ment of European conservators, under the control of the 

 residents, would not achieve the end of preserving a most 

 valuable monopoly to the different governments ; as it may 

 be assumed that the expenses thus incurred would be amply 

 justified by the commercial results, both to Singapore and 

 Penang as depots, as well as to the original collectors and 

 vendors of such important articles of trade. 



" It is not impossible, also, that fresh discoveries might 

 be made, if not of new trees yielding similar products, of 

 sub-varieties which might furnish a commercially valuable 

 substitute; while it is more than probable that vast areas 

 of virgin growth might be discovered in the interior portions 

 of the Peninsula by an exploi-er under Government auspices. 



" The principal obstacles in the way of individual enter- 

 prise lie in the time necessary to mature the tree, said to 

 be about fifteen, or perhaps twenty years at least, and the 

 difficulty of obtaining seeds, saplings, or cuttings wherewith 

 to commence plantations. These can only be met by the 

 cordial co-operation of the residents and native authorities, 

 the latter especially needing to be convinced that by aiding 

 the movement they will not be depriving themselves of a 

 valuable monopoly. As regards the former, it is probable 

 that but very few Europeans would embark capital which 

 would not yield an outturn for fifteen or twenty years, 

 which I am informed, on botanical authoi'ity, is the average 

 time required before a tree is ready for tapping ; many 

 trees, indeed, are reputed to be thirty years old when 

 tapped, and it would therefore seem that the Government 

 alone can afford to undertake the establishment of planta- 

 tions. At present we are without data as to probable 

 expense, but as the trees are essentially jungle trees, and 

 require no care when once fairly started, this may be tuken 

 as very low. Assuming each picul of 133| Ib. of the best 

 qualities to represent the yield of ten trees, and to be 



